The editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal issues a personal appeal for the release of Evan Gershkovich as the jailed reporter spends his 250th day behind bars in Russia, facing unsubstantiated espionage charges.
“Monday, Dec. 4, will mark 250 days since our reporter, Evan Gershkovich, was arrested and wrongfully detained by Russian authorities while doing his job and falsely charged with espionage,” writes Emma Tucker in an open letter to WSJ readers.
“That is 250 days since President Vladimir Putin’s clampdown on independent media extended to the foreign press, much of which understandably left Russia in the wake of Evan’s detention,” she continues. Read more.
As part of the newspaper’s extensive focus today on Gershkovich’s plight, the Bowdoin graduate’s family also published an open letter in the WSJ.
“Eight months ago, we couldn’t believe we would be spending the holidays without Evan,” writes the Gershkovich family. “Today, he remains imprisoned under a false charge of espionage, enduring 250 days of isolation from loved ones and the world. Countless milestones, including his 32nd birthday, weddings, holidays and other priceless moments, have passed with Evan confined in a small cell. Yet, his resilience and unwavering strength never cease to amaze us. Witnessing him hold his head high fills us with immense pride.”
Throughout the holiday season, they say they will keep a seat reserved for Evan at the table—"a symbolic reminder of his absence but also of the widespread support enveloping us from around the globe.”
Gershkovich’s friends have also been speaking out. “I feel like I’ve lived half a life since he was detained,” Polina Ivanova, a Russia correspondent for The Financial Times, told the WSJ. Gershkovich’s Bowdoin classmate Simon Brooks ’14 was also among those quoted by the newspaper. “Until he’s home, we’re never doing enough,” Brooks said.
To access the latest updates on Evan Gershkovich, and for more resources on how to get involved in the campaign to free him, visit wsj.com/Evan.
Track media coverage of Gershkovich since his arrest in March, 2023.
